Buffalo, NY - Canisius University President Steve Stoute has signed a statement, recently released by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), from numerous college and university presidents and leaders of scholarly societies in response to ongoing actions by the federal government affecting higher education. The educational and nonprofit leaders were convened by AAC&U and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The statement, titled “A Call for Constructive Engagement,” marks the first time current presidents have spoken out collectively in large numbers about these issues.
“We speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education,” the statement says.
The statement makes clear what’s at stake—for higher education and for America’s shared prosperity—in any unraveling of the longstanding, productive partnership between government and institutions of higher learning. While the presidents “are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,” they also make clear that they will stand against attempts to restrict or undermine the freedoms fundamental to higher education. The statement calls for “constructive engagement that improves our institutions and serves our republic.”
“For more than a century and a half, Canisius University has upheld the Jesuit ideal of rigorous intellectual exchange and ethical examination," says President Stoute. “By signing this statement, we reaffirm our commitment to academic freedom as the cornerstone of our mission to develop thoughtful, purpose-driven leaders equipped to address society's most pressing challenges."
The full statement and an up-to-date list of signatories are available online.
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
